With fake pizza fliers making rounds, cops urge crackdown

Regional Report

Local law-enforcement and tourist-industry leaders are lobbying legislators for a bigger stick to shake at criminals targeting hungry Central Florida tourists.

Bogus operators who hire people to hand out fake pizza fliers and coupons at hotels in tourist hot spots are trying to steal from families, deputies say.

Tourists have had hotel rooms burglarized, their identities stolen and even become victims of credit-card fraud after calling fake pizzerias for food, said Orange County Capt. Nancy Brown,who testified in front of state lawmakers on the issue this week.

"Tourism is currently the economic engine of Orange County," she said. "We want to protect the tourist, and law enforcement needs another tool to use."

It already is illegal for businesses to pass out fliers without permission at hotels that expressly prohibit it. Although the pizza-delivery problem isn't new, hoteliers and deputies would like to see stiffer penalties for those who are caught.

Representatives from the Sheriff's Office and the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association appeared before a House committee Tuesday in an effort to strengthen the current law.

Under the proposed legislation, violators would be charged with a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

In 2005, the Legislature passed the Tourist Safety Act that attempted to stop unlicensed food vendors from distributing fliers under doors.

Richard Maladecki, president of the hotel and lodging association, said at the time they had documented dozens of unlicensed vendors, some making the illegal pizza in their homes or vehicles and selling it to tourists.

In addition to concerns about food safety, many of the distributors were checking to see if doors were unlocked and burglarizing units.

Currently anyone caught illegally distributing pizza fliers or coupons on hotel property can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. The people who hire the folks to hand out the fliers face the same consequences if they are caught.

Legitimate companies such as Pizza Hut or Domino's Pizza have contracts with hotels and permission to be on property. They are not affected by the law.